American democracy, as set forth in our founding documents, has been a beacon for the rest of the world. But the building blocks of that democracy feel shaky right now. Polls continue to show that the public doesn't trust institutions like Congress, the courts and the national news media. And the ties that bind us, as a nation, are frayed. We're more connected than ever — but also more polarized, defaulting to skepticism of those who don't look like us, share our views, speak our language or live in the same region.

At Drafting Democracy, The Atlantic will explore what is required to get our democracy back on track.